


Hireath

by Starling_Please (StarlingPlease)



Series: Elysian [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Lot's of Plot, M/M, Polyamory, alternate Universe- hireath, honestly I need god rn, other stuff, this fic is going to go on and on
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-06
Updated: 2019-02-06
Packaged: 2019-10-23 12:20:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17683325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarlingPlease/pseuds/Starling_Please
Summary: " a longing for a home one cannot return to, or one that was never yours "--------In which the occupants of an AU deal with a lot and strive to be better.[this starts from childhood for posterities sake, I'll change and update tags as things occur]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> To be clear to start of with, this au is something I have sat of since the dawn of undertale. THis whole fucking story has been played over and over in my head for eons and finally, I've decided 'fuck it'. 
> 
> Enjoy the shit show.

The loud thud that echoed through the majority empty space that was their outpost jarred Papyrus from his thoughts, a kneejerk spike of adrenaline coursing through his veins. He walked over to the door of his shared bedroom, silently pulling it open and with trained ease listened. The hallways were empty and dead silent after the loud bang; a checklist of survival based need flowed through his head.   
  
1- had they gotten in  
2- was the silence maintained  
3- where was Johanna  
  
Johanna. The adrenaline coursing through the scared remnants of his bones coursed to his stomach a shrill alarm of fear ringing in his head- not again. Anything but that, he would willingly fight a thousand of those godforsaken husks- but he couldn't lose another. If the husks had gotten inside he would have heard their call by now. The knowledge that the sound had come from below not above didn't put his mind at ease and he began quickly heading south, one hand skimming the banister as he descended the all too familiar stairs and headed down the hallway that leads to the basement floors. His feet gently clicked along the tile floors as he descended the stairs until he reached the bottom.  
  
The door was open. That damned door was open.  
  
Memories flowed through his mind- dust, blood, fear and shame.  
  
It was the only rule he'd enforced that the door to the lab section of the outpost remained sealed shut as it had made it the day he pulled his brothers' used jacket from the dust and fled the emotions he had never had the strength to deal with. Now they were open, Johanna had gone behind his back and the door was open- feelings, fears all in the open. Walking into the laboratory there were two things in full view- his brother breathing faintly and a bloodstained body painted against the wall. Was he doomed to repeat history forever?

* * *

 

The soft golden walls of the kings' halls were a faded blur to the memory of Papyrus, his father's large hand curled around his hand and his kid brother tightly holding the other. In front of them, the king and queen stood, making conversation with Doctor Aster, the words slipping his mind as he stared beady-eyed at the small bundle her majesty huddled close to her chest. His brows knitted together as small beads of sweat began to pool as the thought repeated in his mind, why was she holding a towel filled with fluff. He wanted to ask, he really did but his father had trained him better than to run his mouth with a stream of consciousness during the good doctor's work hours. He settled for continuing to stare with a pained expression at the contents of the queen's arms.

"You can't continue to ignore the uprising against you, Your Majesty. The people are demanding change or your dust scattered through the streets."

Aster's tone was clinical, almost completely detached from the words he was speaking, the words he threw around aimlessly hitting his older brother. He looked to the skeleton two years his senior, pained-expression aimed at his brother, the hand holding his clenching until it was almost painful. As Papyrus continued to stare at Sans he finally earned the attention of his brother. Sans looked at him, brow ridge raised before he realised himself and loosened his grip, chucking an apologetic look towards his brother.

"They are simply restless, food has been hard to find they simply need someone to blame, we are monsters, not humans, we won't stoop to their levels."

Aster shook his head as Asgore spoke, hands travelling towards his brow ridge as he cringed. Papyrus felt the impulse to open his jaw and begin asking questions but silenced it, Aster was in front of the queen but he doubted that would stop his father from cuffing him over the head if he started speaking now. The tension was palpable, it had been since as long as he could remember but that didn't change the way it made everyone with common sense change.   
  
Maybe the king didn't have common sense- he nor his queen.  
  
Aster continued shaking his head, "The chatter on the streets tells a different story."  
  
"Doctor, you know there is nothing more I can do if I release the remaining rations we hold the people will ensure their own demise. They may starve with what we give out but they won't die."

"They are coming for you," Aster continued tone cracking from disinterest to pleading.

Toriel stood in silence no longer, her gentle voice echoing against the halls, "then do us one last favour Aster," her hands gently tightened around the bundle in her arms and Aster nodded, silencing the words that couldn't make their way out of her mouth. "I'll defend him as if he were my own, Toriel."

The relief on her face was immediate and she nodded, a gentle smile as if she could accept the threat of death with open arms if only her son would survive unscathed. For now, however, Asgore nodded in dismissal, turning on his heel, arm wrapping around Toriel as they exchanged quite words. The hand that held Papyus's hand, the one belonging to his father released its grip, instead travelling to the top of his skull, gently resting there as he moved to kneel in front of his two sons. He looked them up and down, face clinical in thought as he chose his words.

  
"That's all my work done for today," he finally said, trying to sound enthusiastic.  
  
"we goin home now," Sans asked, voice gentle and low.  
"TO EAT SOMETHING?" Papyrus near shouted, freehand raising as he beamed excitement at the prospect. His bones were gnawing themselves, stripping what little nutrients they contained to keep him running, some food to quell his own slow self-destruction would be more than welcomed.  
  
Aster's face pulled with annoyance, "Please use the proper syntax Sans, you aren't a toddler," he began, a quick 'sorry dad' muttered from sans between Aster's pause for breath. His attention turned to Papyrus, a small range of emotions flickering across his face as he let out a sigh, pulling something from his inventory. "Split this between yourselves," Aster instructed giving the bar to his oldest, who in turn stared at him with an analytical expression that Papyrus truly believed rivalled his father's.

"Home?" Sans asked again, the expression holding as he broke the ration in half. Papyrus tilted his head to the side watching the standoff between his older brother and father. It was a silent fight, one of will and stubborn pride. Something gave and Sans looked away, hurt expression taking over his features for a moment as he opened the package of the ration. He looked at the two pieces and with a smile handed the largest portion to Papyrus. Papyrus let out a delighted hum before falling silent a cynical look on his face as he analyzed the ratio that had been handed out.  
"YOU ARE BIGGER THAN ME- YOU NEED- TO EAT- MORE!!!"  
Papyrus said with a shrill cry, stomping a foot for emphasis.  
"You Are Still Growing," Sans countered, doing his best to raise his voice as he taped his brothers' nasal ridge with each word.  
Papyrus let out a long annoyed noise, letting his skull fall back as he gazed towards the ceiling, his father had remarked before that it looked like his was praying for patience. Reluctantly he looked down to the bar in his hands and ate it. It tasted poor, like shoddy magic and old decayed fibre. Aster had told him before it was because the bars were from the war times, that they had been sitting in the castle storages for far too long. However, food was food was food. Papyrus smiled at his family members, the smile beaming slightly as his father affectionally rubbed his skull and the faint bliss of being fed made his mind clear and energy return to him. "Let's head back to my office," Aster said voice and face turning disinterested once more as he grabbed Papyrus' hand and began leading the way down the golden hallway towards the lava fields where the new lab's construction had been rushed.  
  
Papyrus beamed at his father and then directed that loving gaze towards his brother who was solely preoccupied with glaring a hole through his father's Occipital. Regardless he would continue his loving smile until his brother could catch it.


	2. slice of life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Papyrus is 6  
> Sans is 8  
> Aster is old enough to not understand dabbing.

The grip on Papyrus' hand tightened as they walked through the crowded streets of the capital, the bustle of monsters moping and complaining, small protests about the limited rations on the verge of forming while shadows watched from alleyways contempt in their eyes- Papyrus waved.

His hand released his brothers' grip which had relaxed and signalled a greeting towards some sulking figure, only to be quickly caught and pulled back to his side. Papyrus opened his mouth full intent on telling his no-good brother that just because the common folk had turned sour was no reason for all common kindness to rot as dust, he was however cut off.  
  
"Royal Bastards," the call was made from a face in passing, the benefit of being the last of skeletal kind- even after Aster had removed his royal insignia, people still knew. The head scientist for the royals was a skeleton and there were only so many skeletons still alive. Papyrus let out a huff as he felt Aster whip his Brother and he behind him instinctively. He could feel his father's intent blossoming to the surface and he felt his stomach dive, peeking between his father's long legs towards the monster who had stepped forth, claiming responsibility for the insult. Alarmingly his fathers' intent was gently being echoed from his brother, disapproving he reached out and squeezed his brothers' humerus. Sans didn't budge his intent nor advert his gaze from their father's challenger.

Stubborn, stubborn, stubborn.

Papyrus looked towards this monster- a female elephant of sorts with humanoid hands- two sets to either side of their body, no magic attacks formed. A hushed silence fell upon the crowd, all eyes on the brave soul who was speaking what they all thought.

"Don't waste the magic," Aster said, tone bored and uninterested in the events unfolding. Papyrus felt himself swallow out of reflex, the events unfolding no-where near as distant for him as they were for Aster. This happened frequently, frequently enough that his instant reaction to cry had been worn through but not enough for the fear to be any less potent.  
  
"Why? It's not like any of us are long for this world, I bet you royal thieves are enjoying all that wealth, aren't you?" Came the low growl, the tone bordering on threat. Papyrus looked away, burying his face into his father's pant leg. He knew what came next, he loathed it. The exchange of magic attacks, the hits taken and the defeated gasping noise before dust began flittering through the air, suffocating the lungs of all who breathed it in. The dying gasp never came, the attacks prepared never flew. Papyrus peered from his father's black cloth pants towards the elephant monster, who had been joined by a banshee monster, the banshee's pale face moved closer to the elephants, the second mouth around their throat opening to whisper something and the situation dissolved. Aster didn't take any moment to consider this reprieve, grabbing his sons arms and making no hesitation in dragging them away from the crowds.

* * *

The pace Aster had set was relentless, so much so that Papyrus found his arm being yanked against its socket with almost every step.  
"DAD PLEASE-" Papyrus finally worked up the nerve to confront Aster, relief flooding through his system when the Aster actually listened, stopping to look them over. He started with a quick check on Papyrus himself, eyelights moving in though, a pause for conversation with himself before moving onto his brother. Sans was open mouth wheezing, hand to his chest, as he tried to gather his strength, he looked about ready to pass out and Papyrus felt a pang of guilt run along his spine. He should of protested the handouts of rations- he really should have. Now Sans needed to rest but was, in familial tradition, stubbornly refusing to ask. That was fine, Papyrus was always good at speaking for his brother when the stubborn wreak proved unmovable.  
"SANS ISNT MEANT FOR FAST WALKING," he pointed out the obvious, silently noting that his arms weren't meant for yanking either- not that he would complain. His brother's shortcomings already caused his father enough grief. As having confirmed something that Aster didn't want to hear, he sighed, placing a hand on either of his son's faces nodding in agreement with Papyrus, or perhaps just in agreement with himself.

"Of course, apologies Papyrus but this is urgent."

Then just like that, Papyrus was pulled into a hug, and he embraced it, cherishing this short moment of affection before it was ruined by the realisation that his father was just picking the two of them up. He let out an annoyed noise, "OF COURSE," he groaned, looking over his father's shoulder at his brother whose breathing had steadied faster than expected. The reason why? He had already passed out, arm laying half looped over Aster's shoulder. Papyrus reached along his father's back and took the limp hand- gripping onto it. It was his left hand, bandaged, much like his, a glove looped over the bandages to keep them in place. A little buzz made away along his skull as he recalled why he wore the bandage- he tried not to think about it.

As Aster picked up the pace once more, legs taking strides as he now moved at twice the speed, unhindered by the burdens of towing children. Papyrus watched the world behind them move, he moved his face into his father's jacket until only his eyes peered over Aster's shoulder. The golden tiles that made up the capital were stained, dirting from lack of cleaning, the houses built looked warn- some of them abandoned. Each face looked thin, some huddled around fires to make up for the warmth they lacked while a select few were poking around places they shouldn't- running to destroy the world before they became dust along the paths they worked.

As they moved away from the castle the protesting thinned, these people were just doing their best to survive- or they were among the few who still believed in their monarch. Papyrus eyed anyone who moved in their wake, well trained by his father to be observant of his father's blindspots. It gave him something to do, stopped him from running his mouth, he'd overheard that said before- a blow to his pride yes but his father never meant to harm only to protect. He'd learnt to deal with readjusting his standards to meet the world he lived in, he'd learnt to grow up faster and adapt, just like his brother. Making things games apparently made it easier on him, that's what Asgore said to Aster when he thought the two of them were sleeping during one of their more informal meetings.

He heard a lot of things Sans and Aster didn't know about; well Sans didn't know, his father most likely didn't care. For all the care he put into their survival it was hard to picture Aster loving them, not the way Asgore pampered them during visits. Asgore was okay, Aster was also okay but he had a natural bias to give him family points. He understood why most of Aster's associates used mean words to refer to him, he was disagreeable and frustrating.

Yet he was his father and he owed him that much.

He watched, the thinning crowds, the small groups, the families. 

The families made him sad, to say the least. Kids just like him- maybe in another life they could be playing now, tag and oh- and hopscotch! He loved the sound of that game, it was the best, Sans never wanted to play it though. One day Sans would be healthy enough to actually play with him. He looked forward to it, until then he'd scream at his brother while he tried to sleep because honestly, was that many hours of rest really required?!

As the ground changed from golden tiles to red earth, so did the people, gone were the animal folk and in flowed the elementals. They were the coolest, fire and earth mostly resided in the warmth of the lava fields and all the rocky platforms that made up the land they lived on. 

Linking the islands were bridges, some markedly safer than others. On those islands were houses, bigger than them was a large construct he knew well. Yet, as the lab came into peripheral Aster showed no sign of caring to stop and blatantly ignored Papyrus's yanking on the front of his shirt to signal to him that he was missing the blatantly obvious. They kept moving- the bridges Aster walked leading away from the lab. "WHERE ARE WE GOING?" Papyrus asked, turning around to look forward instead of back, hand squeezing his brothers twice in an effort to rouse him. San was better at reading Aster, he was better at understanding him too. His attempts at rousing Sans were successful, the bones that made him going rigid as one swift movement brought Sans to attention. He blinked looking around, before pulling enough facts together to lean back and look Aster in the eyelights, blinking a couple times when he got no reaction to lean back into the embrace and close his eyes.

"SANS!" Papyrus shouted, a certain venom in his voice indicating betrayal. Of course, that lazy brother of his would rather take the easy road instead of standing up for the two of them against their father's apathy.

The bridges kept leading away, the people kept thining out. Soon the air went from dry to humid, the echoes of water starting to reach his metaphysical ears. He spun, arm squeezing his brother's hand repeatedly in excitement. "OH OH, THE WATERFALL PLACE, ARE WE GOING- WE ARE GOING! CAN WE PLAY IN THE WATER? IS IT TRUE THE FLOWERS ECHO WHATEVER THEY HEAR? DAD CAN WE PLAY WITH THEM PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE-PLEASE!!" IF sans wasn't awake before he was now, staring at Papyrus with a dumb smile, "water you thinking paps, going rain on his parade with all enthusiasm."  
Said enthusiasm vanished, although Aster shook once with a laugh.  
Sans leaned back into Aster's shoulder giving Papyrus's hand a squeeze, one which was returned in kind. A silent apology, a silent acceptance. The red soil turned into slate grey stone and then the plant life began the flourish, it looked nice, blue reeds, blue stones in the walls- a lot of blue. Aster slowed in his path, letting out a defeated noise.   
Sans and Papyrus were let down, immediately Papyrus was gone towards the sound of water. The ground was hard to find with the reeds he had thrown himself into, footing becoming harder to find before impossible. He slipped boots meeting the water along with the rest of him. The shrieking noise brought Aster and Sans to the water's edge. Alarm only on Sans face while Aster chuckled. "you okay lil bro," came the concerned call from Sans, as he reached down to help drag Papyrus from the water.

Papyrus met his gaze with iron seriousness, "I WILL PULL YOU INTO THE WATER BIG BRO, THOSE PUNS DESERVE IT."

The hand extended was quickly withdrawn, replaced with a concerned stare towards Aster. Their father shrugged slightly, monotone voice sounding, "it's only knee deep water."

Papyrus hummed as he looked around, fingers bones messing around with weight it carried, water tension something that was new to him. He watched the water intently, the ripples, the plant life, in the distance across the way, some monsters were chatting at the water side. They were pointing at the ceiling, why were they pointing at the ceiling.

Papyrus looked up. Oh of course.

He raised a hand blindly reaching to tap his brother's shoulder, he'd like this.

Above them, tiny specks of light glowed along the ceiling lighting up what was usually a dark inverted chasm. "STARS?"

"Something like that," Aster replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm @StarlingPlease on twitter.  
> HMU if you like the story, I won't bite- although I may drabble.


End file.
